Military training requires training of soldiers to fire weapons (e.g. guns) in various battle scenarios. Training with real live bullets is expensive and may be needlessly dangerous. The use of blank (dummy) bullets is also expensive and there is always the danger of mix-up with live bullets.
One known solution is the use of magazines which do not use bullets of any type. Such magazines are referred to henceforth as “training magazines”, in contrast with normal, live ammunition containing magazines, which are referred to henceforth as “real magazines”. In general, known training magazines resemble closely in shape real magazines and are inserted directly into the same magazine housing of a weapon. Instead of firing real bullets, such magazines are equipped with simulated firing means that provide sounds, light flashes, vibrations and other effects resembling a real firing environment. However, known training magazines suffer from a number of problems: the ability to fit in the same magazine housing as a real magazine carries the danger of substitution/mix-up with a real magazine, thereby endangering the user (“trainee”) or others. A real bullet inserted (possibly erroneously) in the firing chamber of the weapon will not prevent the training magazine from being inserted into the magazine housing. In some known training magazines, the firing action includes use of the real weapon trigger to activate a lever integral to the training magazine body. This further increases the danger of unintended firing of a live bullet. Known training magazines also include mechanical parts which need to be changed and adapted for different weapons.
There is therefore a need for, and it would be advantageous to have, training magazines which do not suffer from the abovementioned problems.